Golden Globes 2024 recap: Biggest moments from the 81st annual awards show

The awards show honored the best in film and television.

Last Updated: January 7, 2024, 10:46 PM EST

The 2024 Golden Globes kicked off awards season Sunday night as the best in film and television were honored.

Comedian Jo Koy hosted the ceremony, which was held at Los Angeles' famed Beverly Hilton.

"Oppenheimer" and "Succession" were big winners of the night, with "Barbie" taking home the prize for cinematic and box office achievement, one of the two new categories at this year's show.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association -- the group of international journalists who previously chose nominees for and decided winners at the annual awards show -- was officially wound down last summer after years of controversy. Now with new management and a voting membership that has swelled to 300 members, this year marked a fresh start for the Golden Globes.

Check out a recap of how the night unfolded below.

Jan 07, 2024, 10:13 PM EST

'Barbie' wins cinematic and box office achievement award

"Barbie" won the Golden Globe for cinematic and box office achievement, one of two new categories at this year's ceremony.

Margot Robbie, who played the film's titular character, dedicated the win to "every single person on the planet who dressed up and went to the greatest place on Earth: the movie theaters."

Director and co-writer Greta Gerwig added, "Thank you to everybody -- all the Barbies and Kens in front of and behind the screen. It was the greatest, most joyful show of craftsmanship and passion I've ever seen."

Gerwig shouted out co-writer and partner Noah Baumbach for "showing his inner Barbie girl," and cast member America Ferrera for "showing her soul," while Robbie shouted out her co-star Ryan Gosling, who played Ken in the film, for "going full beach."

Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie at the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards, in Beverly Hills, January 7, 2024.
Sonja Flemming/CBS

"This is a movie about Barbie, but it's also a movie about humans," Robbie added.

Other nominees in the category included "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," "John Wick: Chapter 4," "Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1," "Oppenheimer," "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" and "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour."

Jan 07, 2024, 10:09 PM EST

'What Was I Made For?' from 'Barbie' wins best original song

"What Was I Made For?" from "Barbie" won the Golden Globe for best original song.

"Thank you to my brother Finneas, you are the reason I am who I am," "What Was I Made For" singer-songwriter Billie Eilish said alongside her brother, who co-wrote the song with her. "I want to thank Greta [Gerwig] and Noah [Baumbach] for making this incredible film. I want to thank Margot [Robbie] for being the Margot we know and love."

PHOTO: Billie Eillish and Finneas accepts the award for Best Original Song  Motion Picture for "What Was I Made For?"  Barbie Music & Lyrics at the 81st Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 7, 2024 in Beverly Hills.
Billie Eillish and Finneas accepts the award for Best Original Song Motion Picture for "What Was I Made For?" Barbie Music & Lyrics at the 81st Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 7, 2024 in Beverly Hills.
Rich Polk/Getty Images

"It was exactly a year ago, almost, that we were shown the movie," she continued. "I was very, very miserable and depressed at the time, and writing that song kind of saved me a little bit."

Other nominees in the category included "Addicted to Romance" from "She Came to Me," "Dance the Night" from "Barbie," "I'm Just Ken" from "Barbie," "Peaches" from "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" and "Road to Freedom" from "Rustin."

Jan 07, 2024, 10:01 PM EST

Ludwig Göransson wins best original score for "Oppenheimer"

Ludwig Göransson won the Golden Globe for best original score for "Oppenheimer."

"Working with Christopher Nolan has been an incredible experience," he shared in his acceptance speech. "I think the way you use music in your films and your storytelling has inspired a lot of people.”

PHOTO: Ludwig Garansson accepts award for Best Original Score  Motion Picture for "Oppenheimer" at the 81st Golden Globe Awards, Jan. 7, 2024 in Beverly Hills.
Ludwig Garansson accepts award for Best Original Score Motion Picture for "Oppenheimer" at the 81st Golden Globe Awards, Jan. 7, 2024 in Beverly Hills.
Rich Polk/Getty Images

“I also want to thank Cillian Murphy,” he added. “I've been watching your face over and over and over again. It's been an incredible experience, and thank you for inspiring me. I want to thank all the musicians who played on this incredible score.”

Other nominees in the category included Jerskin Fendrix for "Poor Things," Joe Hisaishi for "The Boy and the Heron," Mica Levi for "The Zone of Interest," Daniel Pemberton for "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" and Robbie Robertson for "Killers of the Flower Moon."

Jan 07, 2024, 9:55 PM EST

Cillian Murphy wins best performance by a male actor in a motion picture (drama)

Cillian Murphy won the Golden Globe for best performance by a male actor in a motion picture (drama) for "Oppenheimer."

"I knew the first time I walked on a Christopher Nolan set that it was different. I could tell by the level of rigor, the level of focus, the level of dedication, the complete lack of any seating options for actors that I was in the hands of a visionary director and master," Murphy, who played the titular J. Robert Oppenheimer in the biopic, said in his acceptance speech.

Cillian Murphy accepts the award for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture Drama for "Oppenheimer" at the 81st Golden Globe Awards, Jan. 7, 2024 in Beverly Hills.
Rich Polk/Getty Images

He added, "One of the most beautiful and vulnerable things about being an actor is that you can't do it on your own, really. We had the most incredible ensemble cast in this movie. It was magic."

Other nominees in the category included Bradley Cooper for "Maestro," Leonardo DiCaprio for "Killers of the Flower Moon," Colman Domingo for "Rustin," Barry Keoghan for "Saltburn" and Andrew Scott for "All of Us Strangers."

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